Damper construction



y 9, 1939- J. F. COVENTRY 2,157,382

DAMPER CONSTRUCTION Filed March 9, 1938 1 we n on Maw gm Patented May 9, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DAMPER CONSTRUCTION corporation of Ohio Application March 9,

11 Claims.

This invention relates to regulating valves and more particularly to improvements in a damper construction for use in regulating the flow of gases through conduits.

The invention contemplates a regulating valve construction which may be easily and quickly assembled in position by inexperienced workmen without the use of special tools.

The invention includes the provision of simple and improved means to readily indicate the position of the valve in the conduit.

An object of the invention is the provision of improved means to correctly position the regulating valve within the conduit and effectively lock the same with respect thereto preventing relative shifting therebetween.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means whereby a person installing the valve structure within a conduit will become aware how component parts should be arranged and assembled, thereby enhancing the facility of installation of the same.

Another object of the invention is the provision of simple and improved means for cor rectly positioning the valve with respect to its operating shaft and of means coacting therewith for locking the same in position in the conduit.

Another object of the invention is an improvement in regulating valves including means carried by the operating rod engaging a peripheral portion of the valve member performing the double function of properly locating the same with respect to the rod and engaging the conduit when the valve is locked in position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a valve which is formed of sheet metal and having locating means for connecting the same to an operating rod in association with means to prevent relative movement therebetween, the latter serving as means to lock the valve structure with respect to the conduit.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a valve structure made of sheet material having means whereby the strength, stability, and efficiency is materially increased and the valve is produced at comparatively low cost.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of this invention such as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the related elements of the structure, to various details of construction and to combinations of parts, elements per se, and to economies of manufacture and numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration of the specifica- 1938, Serial No. 194,785

tion and drawing of a form of the invention, which may be preferred, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a conduit incorporating the regulating valve of my invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 with certain parts of the conduit broken away to show the position taken by the valve structure of my invention;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken sub- 10 stantially on line 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the valve disk per se of my invention;

Figure 5 is an enlarged isometric view illustrating the disk retaining means of my invention;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 of Figure 3;

Figure '7 is a detailed view showing the valve supporting and operating means of my invention.

In the drawing I have shown a preferred form of my invention as used for regulating or controlling the flow of fluids through a conduit, how ever, it is to be understood that I contemplate the use of my invention wherever the same may be found to be applicable.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the conduit I0 carries a regulating valve l2 which 30 in the form shown is of the vane or butterfly type preferably having an outer contour or con-- figuration substantially corresponding to that of the conduit with sufficient clearance for easy manipulation. The regulating valve or disk I! is made of sheet metal or other suitable material having a raised transverse portion [4 adapt ed to accommodate the non-circular configuration of the operating shaft It which in the embodiment illustrated is of rectangular configura- 40 tion, although other non-circular configurations of shapes may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. The operating shaft It extends through suitable aligned openings l8 and I9 formed in the opposite walls thereof, and is provided with an enlarged portion provided with an indicating member 20 fixed thereto or integrally formed therewith. The indicating enlarged portion 20 of the shaft l6 coacts with one wall of conduit 10, While the threaded end or portion 22 which projects exteriorly of the opposite wall of the conduit, is adapted to be engaged by threaded wing nut or other locking means 24 coacting with the threaded portion. The disk member I2 is removably secured to the operating shaft l6 by the use of U-shaped members or clips 26 and 28, each having an opening 29 at the bight portion thereof, through which passes the operating shaft, said members each having aligned slots 30 and 32 formed in the leg portions which are adapted to receive peripheral portions of the disk member I2 adjacent to the raised portion I4 when in assembled position as particularly shown in Figure 3.

I have found that in order to provide a satisfactory operating structure that at least one of the clips or disk retaining members 26 or 28 should have an opening of a configuration snugly fitting the non-circular configuration of the operating shaft in order that the clip, shaft and valve disk be held together so that manipulation of the shaft serves to cause corresponding movement of the valve disk. To facilitate manufacture, both clips may have openings of the same configuration as illustrated, but the clip 26 may be provided with a circular opening snugly fitting the tenon 22 if desired.

It is important to note that the indicating member 20 is so located with respect to the noncircular section of the supporting and operating shaft l6 that the same will correspond and coincide with the plane of the valve disk whereby the position of member 20 will serve to visually indicate the relative position of the disk within the conduit.

It should be noted thatdue to the particular shape and configuration imparted to the component parts of the regulating valve structure including the shape and position of raised portion l4 formed on the valve disk and the location of the non-circular opening 29 formed in the disk retaining members which cooperate with the shape of the operating shaft, any person assembling the regulating valve within a conduit will readily see how the parts should be placed together. Moreover, this arrangement provides a valve structure that can be easily and quickly assembled by an inexperienced workman without the use of special tools, as it will only be necessary to position the clips 26 and 28 so as to embrace the peripheral contiguous portions of the disk adjacent to the raised portion [4 and insert this subassembly within the conduit placing the same in proper alignment with the openings formed in the walls of the conduit so that the operating shaft 16 can be passed therethrough and through the openings 29 formed in clips 26 and 28 and by threading the wing nut element 24 on to the threaded tenon 22 of the operating shaft the regulating valve may thus be properly positioned with respect to the conduit.

When it is desired to change the position of the disk with respect to the conduit to regulate the flow of air or other gases therethrough, it will only be necessary to turn the operating shaft I6 by means of the indicating member 20 and that due to the correspondence of this member with respect to the plane of the valve disk the indicating member visually indicates the position of the disk within the conduit. In order to lock the valve, it is only necessary after the indicating member 20 is moved to the desired position to tighten the wing nut element 24 so that intimate frictional contact is established between the clips 26 and 28 and the inner walls of the conduit, and concurrently the wing nut 24 and the indicating means 20 located at the end of the operating shaft l6 frictionally engage the outer walls of the pipe l0, thereby providing a plurality of surfaces wherein frictional engagement and resistance to further movement of the disk takes place. This arrangement prevents any relative shifting of the disk with respect to the conduit and with respect to the operating shaft and indicating means carried thereby. From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided a very simple arrangement wherein a valve disk and its operating means are retained in position and concurrently locked in place in the conduit by only turning the lock or wing nut element 24 and the relative position of the disk within the conduit is visually indicated. In the preferred form of the embodiment shown, the non-circular section of the operating shaft and coacting configuration imparted to the valve disk is disclosed as having a rectangular configuration. However, other configurations are contemplated for the operating shaft and valve disk such as to provide a proper non-turning action therebetween than the one herein disclosed. In the embodiment shown the valve member of this element is formed having a uniplanar surface. However, other disk formations may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It is apparent that within the scope of the invention, modifications and different arrangements may be made other than is herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending all variations thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a valve for regulating the fiow of fluids through a conduit including an operating shaft having a portion of non-circular configuration and extending transversely of the conduit and having portions projecting outside of the wall thereof; a substantially uniplanar member located within said conduit having a portion conforming with the non-circular configuration of said shaft for positioning the same with respect thereto; an element carried by the op erating shaft within the conduit and arranged to rotate with said shaft, said element having a slot to receive a peripheral portion of said member for connecting said member to said shaft; and means coacting with an exteriorly projecting portion of said shaft for locking said valve in position.

2. In combination, a valve for regulating the flow of fluids through a conduit including an operating shaft having a portion of non-circular contour, said shaft extending transversely of the conduit and having portions projecting outside of the wall thereof; a substantially uniplanar member located within said conduit having a central raised portion for properly positioning the same with respect to said operating shaft; an element carried by the operating shaft within the conduit engaging a peripheral portion of said member for removably securing said member to said shaft; and means coacting with an exteriorly projecting portion of said shaft for locking said valve in position.

3. In combination,avalve for regulating the flow of fluids through a conduit including an operating shaft extending transversely of the conduit and having portions projecting outside of the wall of the conduit; a substantially uniplanar valve member located within said conduit having a bent portion for properly positioning the same with respect to said operating shaft; an element carried by the operating shaft within the conduit engaging a peripheral portion of said member for securing said member and shaft together; and means coacting with said shaft for locking said valve member in position.

4. In combination, a valve for regulating the Ill! flow of fluid through a conduit including an operating shaft of non-circular cross section having portions carried by the conduit and extending transversely thereof; a substantially flat member located within the conduit; means formed on said member for properly positioning the same with respect to the operating shaft; and a clip carried by the operating shaft engaging a peripheral portion of said member for removably securing said member to said shaft.

5. In combination, a valve for regulating the flow of fluid through a conduit including an operating shaft having portions carried by the conduit and extending transversely thereof; a disk; means formed on said disk comprising a bent portion for properly positioning the disk with respect to the operating shaft; and means including spaced clips carried by the operating shaft engaging peripheral portions of said disk for removably securing said disk to said shaft.

6. In combination, a valve for regulating the flow of fluid through a conduit including an operating shaft having portions carried by the conduit extending transversely thereof having a portion of non-circular contour; a disk; means formed on said disk for properly positioning the disk with respect to the operating shaft; and a clip engaging the non-circular portion of said shaft and opposite surfaces of said disk for removably fixing said disk to said shaft.

'7. In combination, a valve for regulating the flow of fluid through a conduit including an operating shaft carried by the conduit and having a portion of non-circular cross section; a uniplanar sheet metal member; and means snugly fitting the non-circular cross section of the operating shaft and coacting with the opposite flat surfaces of-said uniplanar sheet metal member for securing the same to said shaft.

8. In combination, a valve for regulating the flow of fluid through a conduit including an operating shaft having portions carried by the conduit extending transversely thereof having a portion of non-circular contour; a sheet metal member; means formed on said sheet metal -member for properly positioning the same to the non-circular portion of the operating shaft; and a plurality of members engaging the non-circular portion of said shaft and opposite peripheral surfaces of said member for removably fixing said member to said shaft.

9. In combination, a valve for regulating the flow of fluid through a conduit including an operating shaft carried by the conduit having a portion of non-circular cross section therein and an enlarged portion outside thereof; a uniplanar sheet metal member; means snugly fitting the non-circular cross section of the ope-rating shaft and coacting with the opposite flat surfaces of said uniplanar sheet metal member for securing said member to said shaft; and means formed on the enlarged portion of said shaft for indicating the position of said member within said conduit.

10. In combination, a valve for regulating the flow of fluid through a conduit including an operating shaft having portions carried by the conduit extending transversely thereof having a portion of non-circular contour located therein; a sheet metal member; means formed on said sheet metal member for positioning the same with respect to the non-circular portion of the operating shaft; a plurality of clips engaging the non-circular portion of said shaft coacting with opposite surfaces of said disk for removably flxing said disk to said shaft; and means integrally formed on said shaft adapted to be located outside of the walls of said conduit for visually indicating the position of said member within said conduit.

11. In combination, means for regulating the flow of fluid through a conduit including an operating shaft carried by the conduit, said shaft having a portion of non-circular cross section; a sheet metal valve disk; a member fitting the non-circular cross section of the operating shaft and coacting with said valve disk for securing the latter to said shaft; and means associated with said shaft for indicating the position of said valve disk within the conduit.

JOSEPH F. COVENTRY. 

